The ACU Symons Award

1973

Sir Charles Wilson, Principal, University of Glasgow – Chairman ACU 1973-74

1973

Sir Douglas Logan, Principal, University of London – Hon. Deputy Treasurer ACU

1974

Professor J. Auchmuty, Vice-Chancellor, University of Newcastle, Australia - member of ACU Council

1975

Dr J. Foster, former Secretary General, ACU (awarded posthumously)

1976

Mr S. Stackpole, retiring Director, Commonwealth Program, Carnegie Corporation of New York

1977

No awards were made

1978

Dr H.E. Duckworth, President, University of Winnipeg – Chairman ACU 1977-78

1979

Mr R.C. Griffiths, Director, Inter-University Council for Higher Education Overseas

1980

Sir Hugh Springer, former Secretary General, ACU

1981

Sir David Derham, Vice-Chancellor, University of Melbourne, member of ACU Council

1982

Dr Anirik Singh, retiring Secretary of the Association of Indian Universities

1983

Mr J.R. Stewart, retiring Principal, University of London

1984

Dr A.T. Porter, retiring Vice-Chancellor, University of Sierra Leone, Vice-Chairman ACU 1977-78

1985

Professor S. Wijesundera, Vice-Chancellor, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka, Chairman ACU 1983-84

1986

Mr E.E. Temple, former Assistant Secretary General ACU in charge of Commonwealth Scholarships

1987

Professor A.O. Adesola, Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos, ACU Chairman 1984-85

1988

Sir Albert Sloman, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Essex, ACU Vice-Chairman 1985-87

1989

Mr T. Craig, former Deputy Secretary General ACU, in charge of Publications and Information

1990

Mrs Kamalini Bhansali, former Vice-Chancellor, S.N.D.T. Women’s University

1991

Professor G.D. Sims, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Sheffield, Hon. Deputy Treasurer ACU 1984-1990

1992

Professor W.J. Kamba, former Vice-Chancellor, University of Zimbabwe, member of ACU Council and Executive Committee

1993

Professor L.M. Birt, former Vice-Chancellor and Principal, University of New South Wales, ACU Chairman 1987-88

1994

Professor Lydia P. Makhubu, Vice-Chancellor, University of Swaziland, Chairperson ACU 1989-90

1995

Mr P.B. Hetherington, former Deputy Secretary General ACU, and Head of Commonwealth Awards and Appointments

1996

Dr C.B. Mackay, former President, University of New Brunswick and former Executive Director, AUCC

1997

Dr Arnold Naimark, former President and Vice-Chancellor, University of Manitoba, Chairman ACU 1988-89

1998

Dr Jasbir Singh, former Chief Programme Officer in the Education Department of the Commonwealth Secretariat

1999

Sir Colin Maiden, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Auckland 1971-94 and Honorary Treasurer of the ACU 1988-98

2000

Dr James Downey, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Waterloo 1993-99 and Chairman ACU 1997-98

2000

Special Millennium Award

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Asantehene, in appreciation of his institution of a series of scholarship schemes for education at all levels in Ghana

2001

Lalage Bown, Professor Emeritus of the University of Glasgow, for outstanding services to the universities of Commonwealth Africa and to the development of student mobility programmes

2002

Dr Geoffrey Caston, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of South Pacific and Chair of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

2003

Professor Michael Kelly, formerly of the University of Zambia, for outstanding services relating to HIV/AIDS and its impact on all levels of education

2004 - 2007

No awards were made

2008

Professor Brenda Gourley, Vice-Chancellor of the Open University and Chair of the ACU Council

Sir John Daniel, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Commonwealth of Learning

2009

Professor Goolam Mohamedbhai, Secretary General of the Association of African Universities

Dorothy Garland, Deputy Secretary General (External) of the Association of Commonwealth Universities

2010

Professor Crispus Kiamba, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Nairobi, and Permanent Secretary of the Kenyan Ministry of Science and Technology, for his strong advocacy of both higher education and Commonwealth Collaboration.

2011-2012

No awards were made

2013

Centenary Symons Medal:

Professor Sir David King, former Director of the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment at the University of Oxford, UK, and the ACU's Centenary Lecture Series speaker.